1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of debris collection devices and in particular to an accessory for a hand-held electric drill for collecting the debris and dust resulting from drilling operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Efforts to collect drilling debris generally fall into two indoor categories. One being the collection of the debris associated with professional drilling operations such as machine shops, assembly plants, manufacturing plants, etc. The other category generally involves "do-it-yourselfers" and hobbyists who drill holes to hang drapery rods, build various devices, install shelving and other like home projects. There are, of course, other categories which involve indoor drilling operations which may comprise additional general categories, a discussion of such, however, is not necessary to this prior art description.
Professional drilling operations usually involve high-powered vacuum systems permanently attached to or near the drilling machine, debris filtering lubrication systems built into, for example, a drill press and other like nonportable devices. On the other hand, the around-the-home drilling operations most often involve portable debris collection apparatus. One such example of the latter type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,171. In this example the dust collector is not attached to the drill but rather is held by the hand not being used to drill the hole. The device comprises a handle and a cylinder at right angles to each other. The cylinder is placed against a wall, the drill bit is inserted through the cylinder. The drilling debris is collected within the cylinder. This device while allowing relatively convenient drill bit changing is disadvantageous in that it does not allow for exact drill bit placement on the work surface and the drilling cannot be seen. Thus the location of the drilled hole may not be correct, the angle of the drilled hole may not be correct and the depth of the drilled hole may not be correct.
Two somewhat similar-in-operation examples of devices which rotate with the bit are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,936,213 and 3,583,821. These each comprise a collapsible cylindrical device through which the drill bit is inserted. As the hole is drilled deeper, the cylinder collapses accordingly. These devices also suffer from the aspects of drill bit placement, angle of the drilled hole and depth of the drilled hole and must be removed in order to change drill bits. German Pat. No. 2,317,779 also discloses a collapsible cylindrical device which is attached to a hand-held drill. In this example. however, the device is attached to the body of the drill and does not rotate with the drill bit. The same above-mentioned disadvantages are associated with this example of the prior art.
United Kingdom Pat. Nos. 2,067,106 and 1,334,366 are both directed toward dust collection devices attached to portable hand-held tools which utilize vacuum or suction pressure to withdraw the debris from the workpiece. In general a cylindrical component through which the bit is inserted is fitted with a port for the attachment of a hose fitted to vacuum apparatus. These devices also are disadvantageous in drill bit placement, gauging or measurement of depth of drilled hole, ability to drill a correctly angled hole, being able to view the drilling operation and drill bit placement.
In accordance with the above, it is to be noted that the prior art debris collection devices adequately collect drilling debris but create other problems which in all probability overshadow the debris collection advantage gained thereby. By necessity, hand-held portable tools such as a drill require full and adequate viewing of the drilling operation. In any drilling operation it is first necessary to place the bit at the location where it is desired that the hole be drilled. Hence, it is an essential requirement that the operator be able to see the tip of the drill bit at the time it is placed against the workpiece. All of the above-noted prior art devices materially and significantly interfere with the bit location requirement.
A second drilling requirement is to drill the hole at the desired angle to the workpiece. This operation also involves viewing the drill bit relative to the work surface upon initiation of the drilling and during the drilling. The prior art devices completely preclude this requirement. The prior art devices require that the operator view the body of the power tool relative to the work surface to ascertain a correct or desired drilling angle. Obviously, this is not a preferred way to drill a correctly angled hole.
Although those prior art devices utilizing a collapsible shroud prevent viewing of the drill bit, it is possible to gauge the depth of the drilled hole by gauging the uncollapsed length of the shroud during the drilling operation. The rigid shrouds of the other prior art devices do not, however, provide this feature. Still, it is much more preferable to directly view the drill bit and perhaps withdraw and reinsert the drill bit in the hole to measure its depth. A collapsible shroud does not allow or readily lend itself to this method of gauging the depth of the drilled hole.
Convenience of changing drill bits is another desirable feature of a debris collection device. This feature does exist on those devices having cylindrical shrouds attached to the drill or portable tool. The shrouds must be removed in order to change bits. Shroud removal is obviously an inconvenient prerequisite to bit changing.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide debris collection apparatus adapted to be fitted to a portable tool specifically a hand-held electric drill which allows for collection of the drilling debris and allows for viewing of the drill bit during the drilling operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide debris collection apparatus adapted to be fitted to an electric drill which does not require removal in order to change drill bits.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide debris collection apparatus adapted to be fitted to an electric drill which allows exact placement of the tip of the drill bit at the point the hole is to be drilled.
A further object of the present invention is to provide debris collection apparatus adapted to be fitted to an electric drill which allows proper angling of the drill bit relative to the work surface in order to allow drilling of a correctly angled hole.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide debris collection apparatus adapted to be fitted to an electric drill which easily allows for determination of the depth of the hole being drilled.
Still an even further object of the present invention is to provide debris collection apparatus which is adapted to be fitted to a variety of portable power tools.